


Misunderstand

by yuletide_archivist



Category: Get Backers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-12-23
Updated: 2004-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-25 02:57:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1627925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Story by Odrade</p><p>After the second mission in the Mugenjyo, it might be time for Kazuki and Jubei to settle their relationship, but communication tends to get in the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Misunderstand

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Hyu

 

 

There were always new scars, physical and emotional, to be gained when entering the Mugenjyo, Kazuki mused as he stood on top of a nearby building, not even a little soothed by the wind blowing through his hair. But this time, at least, he had the feeling of having achieved something important for the future of that city within the city.  
Even lost in his musings, he didn't miss the familiar presence that seemed to just turn up behind him.  
"The Mugenjyo has regained the right to fight for its future," he said softly, knowing that the other's heightened perception would pick it up. "Partly, at least."  
The lack of answer didn't come as a surprise, either. There were never more words than necessary with Jubei, not anymore; sometimes Kazuki wondered when his childhood friend had changed so drastically. And why he hadn't noticed it at the time. Why he hadn't been able to prevent it. If it was his fault.

Sure enough, when he turned around, there was his friend, whose closed eyes he could just barely make out behind the dark covering glasses. Kazuki walked towards him slowly, and Jubei didn't move until he was close enough that he could almost feel the other's skin, smell the subtle but familiar scent that was coming from him.  
"I believe... it is time for you to be freed of the duty you were born to, as well," Kazuki whispered softly, almost reluctantly, as he put his hands to rest on his friend's forearms. "I do not need protection anymore, Jubei."  
But he never had, even since he'd learned the first techniques of the Fuchoin clan, had he? It was something else he needed, and Jubei had never seemed to understand that.

As far as he could remember, Kazuki had always presented a feminine and fragile side to the world, but Jubei had learned better the minute they had met, and the hands on his bare arms were just like him, slender-looking but rough and callused with years of use of koto strings. Tempting him despite his resolution.  
Jubei stepped back, shaking those familiar hands safe and away from his body.  
"I have sworn to be by your side no matter what, Kazuki. That oath has been broken once already. That will not happen again." He answered as coldly as he could.  
And despite his blindness, he knew Kazuki was looking at him, could almost picture the expression on his face, and not for the first time since he'd directed the black needles to his own body, felt that his inability to see was his salvation -because sight made it harder to resist Kazuki's inexplicable advances.  
"Because it is your duty?" The man he had sworn to protect asked, voice soft and caring -always caring, for everyone, that was the way Kazuki _was_.  
"Because this is the path I have chosen for myself." _Because in attacking you, of all people, from behind, I have commited a crime bigger than I can ever atone for._ And it would hurt, he knew, to stand by Kazuki's side again, now. That was part of his punition too.

Attention, caring, time. For Kazuki, there was no such thing as too much when it came to the people he considered his friends. And it didn't take much for him to consider someone his friend -it was easy, for him, to make room in his heart, or his head, for people. It had always been this way, and the reason why the Wind and Cloud Squad had chosen him as their leader when most of them had never really seen him fight. The reason, too, why both he and Uryu had chosen to stay by his side and protect him, when deep down, they both knew that he was more than able to protect himself. But Kazuki had a way of winning people over that did not involve fighting them; because he had the ability to _care_ , without a second thought.  
Everyone mattered to Kazuki. But in the end, the one person who mattered more than anyone else, was no other than Amano Ginji. Even when Kazuki's hands had first been on him, back then, he had known, and accepted, that Kazuki's loyalty ultimately rested with the Thunder Emperor.

Even when said Thunder Emperor, after years of caring about all VOLTS the same, had left with a stranger to the Mugenjyo to live a carefree life without the slightest care for the people he was leaving behind. Or so JUbei had thought, at the time.

"Yet you still refuse me." As he had done in the hot springs and every time afterward. Because he wasn't worthy of this anymore, of this special attention that Kazuki, for some reason, seemed to had decided he deserved all those years ago. Because, maybe, he still couldn't understand _why_ Kazuki had chosen to offer himself to him.  
"What are you punishing yourself for? Or do you not want me?" and if he hadn't known better he could almost have thought there was a hint of regret in Kazuki's voice as he stepped up to Jubei again and wrapped deceiptively strong arms around him.

Sometimes, at his darkest moments of doubt, Jubei wondered if Kazuki's nice attitude didn't hide a form of terrible cruelty. But no matter how much he wanted to resist, there was no pulling back from the embrace at the moment.And it felt too good, making him want to forget about the guilt of his treason and simply surrender to the immediate feeling.

"This is unnecessary."  
"Jubei..." he could feel the forehead that rested on his shoulder, feel the soft brush of eyelashes fluttering close against his neck, hear the sad sigh that escaped the lips he had known so well before, in long gone, happier times.  
"Why can't you let go...?" Kazuki asked, and the breath on Jubei's skin made a shiver run through his back.

"Why are you telling me to leave your side, yet still offering yourself to me?" he asked as coldly as he could. It didn't make sense, there was no way it could make sense.

"Isn't it obvious...?" Kazuki asked somewhat sadly. Because Jubei deserved his freedom as much, if not more, as anyone else, and yet...  
And yet... letting go wasn't that easy, not when his own freedom wasn't at stake anymore, not when he was quite certain that Jubei, despite all his reservations, did want him back.  
And it was so tempting to use Jubei's claimed loyalty and oath to protect him to his own advantage. So easy, despite the feeling of being terribly unfair.  
"Don't shut me out like this, Jubei. That is what hurts most."

* * *

Deep down, Jubei had the sinking feeling that Kazuki would always win. He hadn't been able to answer that in a satisfying way, and hadn't been able to refuse letting Kazuki lead him here, to a small enclosed place that he'd presented as being his appartment.

"Sit," he'd said, and Jubei's body had recognized this as an order even before his brain had had the time to process it, making him drop in a rather undignified way on the futon that was laid out in a corner. Seconds later, Kazuki was kneeling behind him and massaging his shoulders, something that had never happened at the time of the VOLTS or before, when it had been Jubei's role to take care of Kazuki's body.  
Somehow, this seemed to have changed after their fight.

 _I am responsible for my friend._ And Kazuki had never stated any other reason for the care he'd taken of Jubei.

"Why?" It wasn't obvious. It had bever been, and that might have been even harder to him than the way Kazuki was always looking at Uryu first, then following The Thunder Emperor.

No matter how much he wanted to push away the hands pulling at his short, he couldn't resist, not after Kazuki had implied that it hurt him.  
"Can't you accept that I have chosen this, too? Jubei..." And there were lips on his neck, a familiar feeling that brought back the memories of the first time when Kazuki had invited him to his bed, shortly after the Wind and Cloud Squad had merged with the VOLTS and Uryu had left their ranks.

All the gestures had a deep familiarity to them, but there was something different now, in the way Kazuki crawled around him to straddle his lap and kiss every inch of his face before their lips touched again, for the first time in so terribly long.

As he surrendered one more time, the thought flashed in Jubei's mind that he still didn't understand. He probably never would, but as long as he could stay by Kazuki's side, there was still hope that he might, one day.

 


End file.
